Do you think God can't use you?

I saw this online somewhere and thought it would be a great encouragment to many of you out there. (It was to me)  Too often we feel attacked by the enemy who wants to tell us that we aren't worth anything.. that we've made too many mistakes, that we still make too many mistakes. That we are nothing but self-loving,dishonest, stupid, ugly,  and evil at heart. Well, that may be true!  But look what God did with people just like you and me. See if you can find yourself among these spiritual giants.  And if not, add one of your own at the end.

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan Woman was divorced and living with a man
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer
Lazarus was dead
And I added my own: MaryLu was a divorced, promiscuous drunk (And look how he's using me!)

Think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. ~1 Corinthians 1:26-29

If you have one of your own you'd like to add, please do. Don't be embarassed or shy. I've told you what I was. The reason? To give God and only God the glory for what I've become and what I'm on my way to becoming. 
Be encouraged today. And go out and do HUGE things for God.

Happy Friday! And winner of Undercurrent by Michelle Griep

Sorry foe the late post, but apparently Blogger was down for nearly 24 hours!   Anyway, I drew the winner's name for Undercurrent, Michelle Griep's exciting time-travel Vicking story and it's Brenda Hurley!!! Congratulations Brenda!!!  I encourage the rest of you to go to Amazon and order this wonderful book for yourself!! 
http://www.amazon.com/Undercurrent-Michelle-Griep/dp/1936835029/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305310238&sr=1-1

Now for a bit of news: I received the prelimnary cover of Veil of Pearls and shared it on Facebook. If you haven't seen it yet, I'm posting it here with a blurb from the book and the release date. The cover may change slightly from this, but I think this is pretty much it.

Adalia Winston, a runaway slave, arrives in the bustling port town of 1811 Charleston, South Carolina, having escaped her vicious owner on the island of Barbados. Only one quarter Negro, she is able to hide her heritage and use her herbal medicinal skills to procure a job with a local doctor. When she meets Morgan, the handsome, spoiled son of a rich plantation owner, she finds herself swept up into the extravagant, pampered lifestyle of the Charleston elite, relishing the attention and opulence of a world she never dreamed existed. But in her efforts to be a part of popular society and capture the heart of Morgan, has she pushed the God who has never left her into second place, while being ashamed of the person He created her to be? And when her owner comes to stake his claim, will Morgan and her new friends stand up for her when they discover who she is, or will her world come crashing down around her?

Releases June 2012


Finally, let me leave you with this wonderful soldier's prayer I found. May it encourage you, bless you, and give you a clearer picture of our Awesome God!

A CONFEDERATE SOLDIER'S PRAYER
Author Unknown,
(Attributed to a battle weary C.S.A soldier near the end of the war)

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

If you don't already own a copy of Surrender the Night

Or if you'd like a copy to give to a friend, go here to see a review and enter to win:  http://cfpagels.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday!

Errol Flynn as Captain Blood



Don't mess with this guy!



Check the top of your head!

People don't really talk about crowns in our day and age. I believe the Queen of England still wears a crown from time to time, and perhaps some other monarchs throughout the world, but you just don't see crowns everywhere!  Interestingly enough, the Bible is full of crowns.  I did a brief search and came up with some interesting results.

Traditionally in history a crown represented power and authority.  But it also represented so much more than that. A crown could also represent legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, and honor. It was typically made of gold and adorned with various precious jewels which signified the glory of the person wearing it.

Did you know that according to Scripture, if you belong to God, you already are wearing a crown?  You may not feel like you're wearing a crown. But I believe it is a spiritual crown, a crown that's very real in the spiritual realm and something that can be seen by angels and demons alike. Check it out!

For You have made him (man) a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor Psalm 8:5

Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies Psalm 103:4

For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory  Psalm /149:4

Blessings crown the head of the righteous  Proverbs 10:6
The prudent are crowned with knowledge Proverbs 14:18
Everlasting joy will crown their heads Isaiah 35:10
Crown of beauty instead of ashes Isaiah 61:3
A crown that lasts forever 1 Corinthians 9:25
The victor's crown 2 Tim 2:5

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day 2 Tim 4:8

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:4

Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Revelation 2:10

 
Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. Rev 4:4

Each child of God is crowned already with glory, honor, lovingkindness, tender mercies, life, victory, gold, righteousness, eternity, everlasting joy, blessings, knowledge and beauty. Sounds like a pretty exquisite crown to me! And when we get to heaven, we'll get an actual crown of gold, a victor's crown!


My husband got a glimpse into the spiritual realm at the moment of his salvation. He  was up on the hill behind my house at the time. He told me he saw beams of light shooting up from the city straight into heaven. Later after we spoke, we both came to the conclusion that these beams must have been Christians. Maybe it was their glowing crowns?  Interesting that we are marked like that and the enemy knows full well who we are. I imagine the closer we get to Jesus, the brighter we become. Cool, huh?

Next time you think you're nobody, or you just feel down about life, picture yourself wearing this marvelous crown and recite the list of it's attributes!  Then be faithful, be joyful, be strong, and praise Almighty God!
For as Revelation 3:11 says, 

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes away your crown.

Win a copy of Undercurrent by Michelle Griep !!!

Top 5 Reasons to Admire a Viking

Guest Blog by Michelle Griep

1. Sweet Texting Skills

The Viking alphabet, the Futhark, is a series of straight lines. Super easy to carve into a stick, a skull, what-have-you. Much of their communication has been unearthed by archeologists, down to shopping lists, threats, and love notes.

2. Viking Men Put Metrosexuals to Shame

Contrary to popular belief, Vikings were a meticulously clean and well-dressed people group. Unlike the English, they didn’t hold any ridiculous superstitions about bathing opening the door to demon possession. Once a week they soaked in their bubble bath and daily combed out their hair. Clothing was bright and fashionable, often incorporating imported silks and furs.

3. Debt Free Living

These people paid their debts and paid them fast—or were kicked out of the country. Everything had a monetary value, even a life. If you killed someone, you had to reimburse the deceased’s family (called wergild).

4. CEO Determination

They knew what they wanted and went after it. Gold and silver, mostly, though land was high on their list as well. And if a Viking showed up on your doorstep, you’d probably better cooperate. They employed ruthless practices such as the ‘blood eagle’ (I won’t go into detail to spare the squeamish at heart, but let’s just say this activity involved surgical skill, bone cracking, and organ removal).

5. Packers Suck

Enough said.

Now that your appetite is whetted for big, beefy Vikings, there’s a book you really shouldn’t pass up. Take a trip back in time and experience these wild and winsome people in UNDERCURRENT…

People go missing every day. Many meet with foul play, some leave the social grid by choice, but others are never accounted for. Such is the fate of successful linguistics professor Cassie Larson. She leads a life her undergrad students hope to attain, until she tumbles into the North Sea and is sucked into a swirling vortex…and a different century.

Alarik, son of a Viking chieftain, is blamed for a murder he didn’t commit—or did he? He can’t remember. On the run, saving a half-drowned foreign woman wasn’t in his plans.

Ragnar is a converted pagan shunned by many but determined to prove his Cousin Alarik’s innocence. He didn’t count on falling in love with Cassie or the deadly presence of evil that threatens his village in Alarik’s absence.

UNDERCURRENT…dare to be swept away. Available now at Amazon or Risen Books

Buy from Amazon

Michelle's been writing since she first discovered Crayolas and blank wall space. She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota with 5 other mammals (both human and canine). And don't forget to check out her debut novel, GALLIMORE...a Wizard of Oz tale with a Medieval Twist, available at Amazon or Black Lyon Publishing.

 

She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes…except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager. Find out more at http://www.mmgriep.com

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes, except for a short season when I kicked around the idea of becoming an astronaut. Two problems with that, though. First off, I hate science and math, both of which you should at least have a mild interest in to be successful in a space career. Secondly, when I found out that astronauts don’t actually wear cool Lt. Uhura uniforms, it was a deal breaker.

In addition to writing, you also homeschool your children! How do you balance it all?

Apparently you didn’t notice the frayed hem on my superhero cape. Family and schooling takes up the lion’s share of my time but I do have one dedicated night per week when I run away from home to write. You can find me at Panera with a cup of java and chocolate chunk cookie every Thursday evening.

How did this story come to you?

There’s an old family story my mom told me about her mom, Clara Brekke. Sometime back in the early 1900’s, Clara’s father took her two-year-old sister and walked out the front door. Just like that. No bags packed. Not a word about where they were going or when they’d return. Nothing. No one ever heard from them again. As a result, I’ve always been curious about missing people. Assuming they’ve not met with foul play, where exactly do they go?

What interests you about the Viking age?

Besides the roots of Christianity in the Nordic culture, there’s a ton of other fascinating facts. Case in point…Bubba the Viking. Did you know there’s actual graffiti carved into wood and stones left behind by these fellas? And who would’ve known that one of these big beefy warrior’s names was Bubba? Not kidding. Feel free to use that tidbit as an icebreaker at the next party you attend.

Please share your favorite scene from Undercurrent.

The setting is a dark forest late into the small hours of the night. Hero Ragnar is leading Cassie, who freaks out about a wolf howling. Ragnar takes her hand, meets her gaze and says,

         “I am well armed, Cassie. Think you I would lead you into danger?

         Even so, I pledge my protection.”

Once those words left my pen, it was like Jesus whispered the same to me. What a picture of his strong guidance and assurance. On days when I’m walking through scary darkness, how comforting it is to remember that he’s the one holding my hand.

What other new projects do you have in the future?

I could easily be persuaded to write a Viking sequel if readers swamp my publisher with requests. I’ve also recently finished a historical fiction set in the Regency period (think Jane Austen) which involves an opium addict and a man who’s slowly going insane.

 MARYLU Here:   I've had the privilege of reading an advance copy of this book and I loved it so much, I endorsed it!  There's nothing like a cool Time Travel story! And Michelle is an expert.  SO, if you'd like to win a free copy, you must leave a comment and either ask Michelle a question or comment on something in her interview, or for you more creative types, add a 6th reason to admire a Viking!!!

Wordless Wednesday!



Yea for women pirates!